10th November 2001

By John Shirley

If there ever was a good time for the UK lamb to come back onto the French market, then during the Ramadan Moslem Festival is probably as good as anyto mimimise the price drop.

The EU veterinary decision to lift the ban on parts of England and Wales as well as from most of Scotland has thrown the sheep scene into a temporary tizzy.

The UK exporters expect to be back in France as early as the end of next week, or at the start of the following week. However they have to clarify details on how lambs from various areas areas are to be segregated within a plant.

In anticipation of this French importers are talking down prices for Irish lamb. But on Wednesday quality Irish lamb was making 34 francs/kg or 193p/lb in paris according to An Bord Bia. Strikes in French ports were interfering with deliveries from Ireland. During last week and right up to the weekend Irish lamb prices at home hit 195p and even £2 a lb in the factories and as high as £50 over the £ a kg in the marts.

As we went to press on Wednesday the Irish factories were killing lambs in huge numbers from about 185 to 193 p a lb. but not quoting for later in the week. Plants in NI had paid 300 p a kg.

In contrast Scottish lamb plants were buying lamb at 160p a kg last week and 170 p a kg this week. This equates to only 103 p a lb inc vat Irish price.

In the Tuesday marts like Tullow and Tuam, hoggets were back only £3 to £4 a head week on week. In Tuam this was attributed to a bigger turnout. Cull ewes in Tuam made up to £54 a head (The same ewes were bought in early September for £30).

In the Wednesday marts like Roscommon and Tullamore the price fall was from £5 to £10 a head in lambs but again cull ewes were stronger. In Tullamore 46 kg lambs made £84.

There is all-round agreement that ewe prices will harden for the Ramadan season. Some operating close to the grass roots like John Murphy of Tullow mart, predict that any price drop in lamb will be short lived, on the basis that

Live shipping

Customers from the Continent are in Ireland looking to buy live rams with long tails for the Ramadan Festival.

These sheep can no longer be shipped by roll-on roll-off lorry because they cannot enter a Continental lairage since the FMD fiasco.

It was thought that they could travel on the cattle boat going from Waterford to Bilbao in Spain (as there aren't enough calves to fill it) but as we went to press there were reports that the Department was worried that sheep might be injured by the sheep wire place along the cattle penning. 'Tis reassuring to know that sheep welfare is in such safe hands!